Impossible (Desperate Housewives)

"Impossible" is the 15th episode of the ABC television series, Desperate Housewives. The episode was the 15th episode for the show's first season. The episode was written by Marc Cherry and Tom Spezialy and was directed by Larry Shaw. It originally aired on February 20, 2005.

Plot

Susan decides to take action after learning that Mike may have had something to do with Mrs. Huber's murder. With the urging of her friends, she reluctantly phones a tip into the police that Mike may be responsible. That afternoon Mike is arrested as Susan arrives home from grocery shopping. Mike is quickly let off the hook when Susan provides an alibi after realizing she was with him the night of the murder and that it was their "first time". Later, Susan is asked to be interrogated at the police station by Detective Copeland who asks her if she knows about Mike's past. According to Mike's police record, for drug trafficking and manslaughter, and served jail time for 5½ years. In another room where other detectives watch they come to the conclusion that Susan is "not lying but is just a sucker". Susan goes home to find Mike waiting for her which causes Susan to unleash her anger. Susan tells him that he cannot be "anywhere near her heart" due to her emotional state and that they needs time apart—for now.

Bree finds a condom in the hamper and believes that Rex is still cheating; when he reminds her that there is another man in the house, however, she worries Andrew is having sex. Over dinner, Rex and Bree hesitate to confront Andrew, who is completely oblivious to why his parents did what they did. Bree then says that if he impregnates his girlfriend Lisa, he must marry her. Andrew reassures his mother that nothing physical is going on between him and Lisa. Andrew then denies that the condom is his and points the finger at his younger sister, Danielle. When Bree quietly asks Danielle why she has a condom over breakfast the following morning, Danielle tells Bree that she was planning to give up her virginity to John Rowland, which is part of the reason why they broke up. Bree then visits John at his apartment, where she asks him not to accept Danielle's future offer. John understands, seeing as he already has another "friend" he is seeing on occasion. Bree advises John to let her down hard so that she will never talk to him again.

Tom becomes angered when his boss passes on a promotion which was intended for him. At a company softball game, Tom's rival, Tim Douggan, collapses and must undergo triple bypass surgery, which takes him out of the running for the job; Tom then receives the promotion. Lynette is happy about Tom's accomplishment, but when she learns that the job involves more traveling than his current position, she begs him to reconsider. This leads Lynette to be less than enthusiastic about the promotion when she runs into the boss's wife and relate typical family concerns about how Tom will be missing so much of his children's lives when the boss's wife asks "Aren't you happy?". The wife takes pity on Lynette and, the following day, Tom tells Lynette that the boss reconsidered.

Meanwhile, Gabrielle gets a visit from John's friend Justin and he asks if she would like to have a gardener again. Gabrielle informs Justin that she and Carlos cannot afford a gardener due to their financial status. Justin says that he will do her grass for free but adds on his offer to do everything John did. Gabrielle takes this the wrong way and tells Justin that she does not need a gardener at this time and if "a bush needs trimming, [her] husband takes care of it". The following day, Gabrielle is surprised to find her lawn being freshly cut by a shirtless Justin. Carlos then tells Gabrielle that they will have a new gardener who will work for free. After Carlos leaves for a lawyer's meeting, Justin surprises Gabrielle by walking into her bedroom. This startles Gabrielle who continues to stand her ground. Justin then threatens to tell Carlos about her affair with John. Gabrielle visits Justin at his apartment, where Justin says that he thinks he may be gay. This leads the two to talking about why he asked her and not a girl from his school. Justin tells her that it is easier sleeping with an adult since teenage girls talk. Gabrielle then asks if he has been acting on his feelings. Justin answers that he has a friend who he "fools around with". As Gabrielle gets up to leave, Justin tells her that he would never tell Carlos about her affair. Gabrielle then runs over to Justin and French kisses him. After they kiss, Gabrielle asks if he felt anything. Justin has no arousal which brings Gabrielle to the conclusion that Justin is gay. Carlos and Gabrielle reluctantly realize they're so broke they may have to sell their house and move away from Wisteria Lane.

Zach Young decides to hold a pool party for his friends, but plans it more as a way to rekindle his relationship with Julie. Susan forbids Julie from attending the party but she goes anyway when Susan is asked to report to the police station. At the party, Andrew brings some of his friends, and angers Zach with his boorish behavior. Zach imitates a gun with his fingers and tells Julie he knows where his mom kept her gun. Julie tells Zach that is not funny, and finally convinced that there is something wrong with him she leaves. When Susan cannot find Julie, she automatically assumes she is at the party, and runs in. She spots two people making out in the pool who she believes are Julie and Zach; she soon discovers that the couple is in fact Andrew and Justin. "I'm not gay!" Andrew insists, even though neither boy is wearing his swim trunks. Susan apologizes for the mistake and quickly makes a run for it.

Note

• Although credited, Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan) and Paul Young (Mark Moses) do not appear in this episode.

Title reference

The episode title "Impossible" is a song from the Stephen Sondheim musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. (The song does not appear in the movie version).

International titles

• Finnish: Mahdotonta (Impossible)
• French: Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir (Prevention is better than cure)
• German: Lauter Lügen (Too many lies)
• Hungarian: Lehetetlen (Impossible)
• Italian: Impossibile (Impossible)
• Spanish: Imposible (Impossible)